This application relates to a plug for sealing a well in oil and gas recovery operations, and a method of removing the plug from the well.
After a well is put into production, a wellhead is usually placed over the well at the ground surface and a closure device, such as a sealing cap, or the like, is provided at the wellhead to prevent the flow of production fluid from the well during certain circumstances. Sometimes, under these conditions, the closure device must be removed for replacement, repair, etc., which creates a risk that some production fluid from the well may flow out from the upper end of the well.
To overcome this, a sealing plug, also called a bridge plug or barrier plug, is usually inserted in the well and activated to plug, or seal, the well and prevent any escape of the production fluid out the top of the well. However, when it is desired to recap the well, a rig must be brought to the well and used to drill-out the sealing plug, or pull the plug from the well. Both of these techniques require sophisticated equipment, are labor intensive, and therefore are expensive.
Therefore, what is needed is a sealing plug of the above type which can be placed in the well to seal off the flow of production fluid as discussed above and yet can be removed in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner.